European Championship Draws – Hession and Marley Fight on Day One
The draws have taken place for the 2024 European Championships in Belgrade, Serbia. Four boxers have byes, 3 of them to quarter-finals stage.
The 11-strong team includes Paris Olympics qualified boxers, reigning lightweight champ Kellie Harrington, double Olympians Michaela Walsh (57kg) and Aoife O’Rourke (75g); 63.5kg Dean Clancy and heavyweight, Jack Marley.
401 boxers from 38 federations will contest the championships. The draw takes place on April 18th; April 26th is a rest day, and finals will be boxed on April 28th.
Prize money will be awarded in all weight categories, from quarter finalists to champions. Those finishing at the QF stage will receive $1,000; bronze medalists will be awarded $5,000 apiece. Winning silver means a $10,000 award, and champions will get $15,000.
50kg Shannon Sweeney opens her campaign against Russia’s Geliusa Galieva at the preliminaries stage on Monday. On the same day and session (evening), 54kg Niamh Fay will begin her championships also against Russian opposition, in the form of Karina Tazabekova. Double Olympian, 57kg Michaela Walsh meets France’s Sthelyne Grosy in her opening bout, also on Monday.
Reigning lightweight Olympic champion and Paris Olympian, Kellie Harrington, has a bye to the quarter finals – she’ll face either Italy’s Rebecca Nicoli or Turkey’s Ozer Gizem in a bout for a podium place on Tuesday. Team flag bearer, 66kg Lisa O’Rourke, also has a bye, and will contest her quarter final on the same day, against Slovakia’s Jessica Triebelov. Lisa’s sister, double Olympian Aoife O’Rourke is also in quarter final action on the 23rd, contesting against the winner of the preliminary bout between Hungary and Poland.
51kg Ricky Nesbit makes his debut at the tournament in Friday’s preliminaries, against Turkey’s Samet Gumus. Paris Olympian, 63.5kg Dean Clancy has a bye to the second series preliminaries, and contests his opening bout on Sunday against IBA boxer, Abdul Fawaz Aborode. 71kg Eugene McKeever boxes Poland’s Matesuz Daniel Urban in his prelim, on Saturday.
High Performance Director, Tricia Heberle, says “This is a very strong team, fresh from a dual-nations camp with Ukraine, which culminated in an International – Ireland won 10:2. While this is an Olympic preparatory tournament for boxers already qualified for the Games, it is vital performance and carding opportunity for all team members. ”
High Performance Head Coach, Zauri Antia, says “This will be a very tough tournament, as many federations will use this championship to prepare for Paris. There will be no easy wins but every boxer on the team is prepared, is focused, and knows their goals.”
The team travels to Serbia with the support of Sport Ireland and the Institute of Sport, in the form of Team Doctor, SI’s Dr. Valerie Hayes.
Day One
Adam Hession and Paris Olympian, Jack Marley, open Ireland’s account at the tournament today.
Both are in action in Ring B – 57kg Adam meets Georgia’s Giorgi Kapanadze in Bout 1. Heavyweight, Jack, is up in Bout 9 against Belgian Victor Schelstraete.
There is only an afternoon session tomorrow, and it begins at 2pm, Irish time
Team
50kg Shannon Sweeney, St. Anne’s BC, Mayo
54kg Niamh Fay, Phoenix of Ballyboughal BC, Dublin
57kg Michaela Walsh, Holy Family GG, Belfast
60kg Kellie Harrington, St. Mary’s BC, Tallaght, Dublin
66kg Lisa O’Rourke, Castlerea BC, Roscommon
75kg Aoife O’Rourke, Castlerea BC, Roscommon
51kg Rickey Nesbitt, Holy Family BC, Drogheda
57kg Adam Hession, Monivea BC, Galway
63.5kg Dean Clancy, Sean McDermott BC, Leitrim
71kg Eugene McKeever, Holy Family, Drogheda
92kg Jack Marley, Monkstown BC, Dublin
